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slangofoil

DC-MD-VA VJers

By slangofoil in Moving to the US and Your New Life In America

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slangofoil Collaborator

slangofoil   50

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Ireland
 Timeline
Posted

I've seen several DC-area VJ members so I thought I'd start a thread for conversation and possible meet-ups. :) I was raised in MD, but I just moved to Arlington. My Irish fiance will be joining me here in 9 days.

I'm hoping others have found the area to be friendly to foreigners. I'm a government contractor myself, and there are a lot of Indian people in my office. I can't say I've met any Europeans though.

Anyone else in the area? How have you found things? Employment prospects, etc?

Say hello!

I'm the USC petitioner.

Timeline:

10/06/2005 Met in Ireland while I was on a study abroad

03/15/2010 K-1 NOA1

05/27/2010 K-1 NOA2

09/10/2010 K-1 Interview

09/22/2010 POE

10/01/2010 Wedding

10/27/2010 AOS/EAD/AP NOA1s

12/22/2010 EAD/AP Approved

04/05/2011 AOS Approved - no interview

04/09/2011 Green Card received

01/24/2013 ROC NOA1

06/28/2013 ROC Approved - no interview

07/05/2013 10-year Green Card received

08/19/2014 N-400 NOA

12/06/2014 N-400 Interview

01/09/2014 Naturalization ceremony

My husband is now a US Citizen! Our journey is over!

20r8m4.png

WdKPm5.png

8PEOm5.png

 

rodceasar Enthusiast

rodceasar   34

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Uganda
 Timeline
Posted

I live in Alexandria and find the area to be very diverse and friendly to foreigners. I think you will like where you have chosen to live. Close to alot of things including DC. I will say, coming from New York City, I find the people in general to not be all that friendly in comparison to NYC. However, I have enjoyed my stint here over the past 4 years. I also work as a govt contractor as with most of the people living in the area...

Saddle Bronc Grand Master

Saddle Bronc   124

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Timeline
Posted

If by "European" you include white Canucks, there are definitely quite a few around (including some who need lots of bone-up on their own country's history/government-system--as I saw with a Pigtowner whom I met at Odenton Station last year).

"Pigtown"--mild pejorative (derived from commonly-used "Hogtown") for Toronto.

2005/07/10 I-129F filed for Pras

2005/11/07 I-129F approved, forwarded to NVC--to Chennai Consulate 2005/11/14

2005/12/02 Packet-3 received from Chennai

2005/12/21 Visa Interview Date

2006/04/04 Pras' entry into US at DTW

2006/04/15 Church Wedding at Novi (Detroit suburb), MI

2006/05/01 AOS Packet (I-485/I-131/I-765) filed at Chicago

2006/08/23 AP and EAD approved. Two down, 1.5 to go

2006/10/13 Pras' I-485 interview--APPROVED!

2006/10/27 Pras' conditional GC arrives -- .5 to go (2 yrs to Conditions Removal)

2008/07/21 I-751 (conditions removal) filed

2008/08/22 I-751 biometrics completed

2009/06/18 I-751 approved

2009/07/03 10-year GC received; last 0.5 done!

2009/07/23 Pras files N-400

2009/11/16 My 46TH birthday, Pras N-400 approved

2010/03/18 Pras' swear-in

---------------------------------------------------------------------

As long as the LORD's beside me, I don't care if this road ever ends.

slangofoil Collaborator

slangofoil   50

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Ireland
 Timeline
  • Author
Posted

If by "European" you include white Canucks, there are definitely quite a few around (including some who need lots of bone-up on their own country's history/government-system--as I saw with a Pigtowner whom I met at Odenton Station last year).

"Pigtown"--mild pejorative (derived from commonly-used "Hogtown") for Toronto.

Haven't noticed any Canadians yet, but they don't stand out as much in terms of accent. There was an Aussie or Kiwi (haven't got the differences in accent sorted out yet) in my old office.

I'm the USC petitioner.

Timeline:

10/06/2005 Met in Ireland while I was on a study abroad

03/15/2010 K-1 NOA1

05/27/2010 K-1 NOA2

09/10/2010 K-1 Interview

09/22/2010 POE

10/01/2010 Wedding

10/27/2010 AOS/EAD/AP NOA1s

12/22/2010 EAD/AP Approved

04/05/2011 AOS Approved - no interview

04/09/2011 Green Card received

01/24/2013 ROC NOA1

06/28/2013 ROC Approved - no interview

07/05/2013 10-year Green Card received

08/19/2014 N-400 NOA

12/06/2014 N-400 Interview

01/09/2014 Naturalization ceremony

My husband is now a US Citizen! Our journey is over!

20r8m4.png

WdKPm5.png

8PEOm5.png

 

Saddle Bronc Grand Master

Saddle Bronc   124

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Timeline
Posted
Haven't noticed any Canadians yet, but they don't stand out as much in terms of accent. There was an Aussie or Kiwi (haven't got the differences in accent sorted out yet) in my old office.
I do know an Aussie (we used to attend the same church until 2008) who works @ Geico's HQ, and a Kiwi with Yank wife who (coincidentally) attends that same church--so your confusion can be cleared easily. :lol:

2005/07/10 I-129F filed for Pras

2005/11/07 I-129F approved, forwarded to NVC--to Chennai Consulate 2005/11/14

2005/12/02 Packet-3 received from Chennai

2005/12/21 Visa Interview Date

2006/04/04 Pras' entry into US at DTW

2006/04/15 Church Wedding at Novi (Detroit suburb), MI

2006/05/01 AOS Packet (I-485/I-131/I-765) filed at Chicago

2006/08/23 AP and EAD approved. Two down, 1.5 to go

2006/10/13 Pras' I-485 interview--APPROVED!

2006/10/27 Pras' conditional GC arrives -- .5 to go (2 yrs to Conditions Removal)

2008/07/21 I-751 (conditions removal) filed

2008/08/22 I-751 biometrics completed

2009/06/18 I-751 approved

2009/07/03 10-year GC received; last 0.5 done!

2009/07/23 Pras files N-400

2009/11/16 My 46TH birthday, Pras N-400 approved

2010/03/18 Pras' swear-in

---------------------------------------------------------------------

As long as the LORD's beside me, I don't care if this road ever ends.

Justine+David Proficient

Justine+David   218

Posted
Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: United Kingdom
 Timeline
Posted

I'm a nurse :) in D.C. proper although we live in Alexandria. Lots of Filipina nurses at my workplace who were sponsored by the hospital, so we commiserate about all the immigration bureaucracy. Additionally, two of my co-workers are from South Africa with green cards; one of them has sponsored her >21 unmarried daughter and I showed her VJ and the dept of state visa bulletin to keep track of when the petition's number becomes current (will probably take a few years unfortunately :( )

Naturalization

9/9: Mailed N-400 package off

9/11: Arrived at Dallas, TX

9/17: NOA

9/19: Check cashed

9/23: Received NOA

10/7: Text from USCIS on status update: Biometrics in the mail

10/9: Received Biometrics letter

10/29: Biometrics

10/31: In-line

2/16: Text from USCIS that Baltimore has scheduled an interview...finally!!

2/24: Interview letter received

3/24: Naturalization interview

Flames9_RN Grand Master

Flames9_RN   359

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Im a nurse as well in the DC area. Lot of canucks in the Dc area. Some nights on our floor we have NO American born nurses, quite comical! There would be a world wide crisis if al of a sudden all the Filipino nurses quite,lol I know my home town province of Saskatchewan goes down pretty much yearly and recruits them!

Canadians Visiting the USA while undergoing the visa process, my free advice:

1) Always tell the TRUTH. never lie to the POE officer

2) Be confident in ur replies

3) keep ur response short and to the point, don't tell ur life story!!

4) look the POE officer in the eye when speaking to them. They are looking for people lieing and have been trained to find them!

5) Pack light! No job resumes with you

6) Bring ties to Canada (letter from employer when ur expected back at work, lease, etc etc)

7) Always be polite, being rude isn't going to get ya anywhere, and could make things worse!!

8) Have a plan in case u do get denied (be polite) It wont harm ur visa application if ur denied,that is if ur polite and didn't lie! Refer to #1

Saddle Bronc Grand Master

Saddle Bronc   124

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Timeline
Posted
Im a nurse as well in the DC area. Lot of canucks in the Dc area. Some nights on our floor we have NO American born nurses, quite comical! There would be a world wide crisis if al of a sudden all the Filipino nurses quite,lol I know my home town province of Saskatchewan goes down pretty much yearly and recruits them!
No, Malayali and Tamil nurses could fill that void (I do know a few of these) in the US.

2005/07/10 I-129F filed for Pras

2005/11/07 I-129F approved, forwarded to NVC--to Chennai Consulate 2005/11/14

2005/12/02 Packet-3 received from Chennai

2005/12/21 Visa Interview Date

2006/04/04 Pras' entry into US at DTW

2006/04/15 Church Wedding at Novi (Detroit suburb), MI

2006/05/01 AOS Packet (I-485/I-131/I-765) filed at Chicago

2006/08/23 AP and EAD approved. Two down, 1.5 to go

2006/10/13 Pras' I-485 interview--APPROVED!

2006/10/27 Pras' conditional GC arrives -- .5 to go (2 yrs to Conditions Removal)

2008/07/21 I-751 (conditions removal) filed

2008/08/22 I-751 biometrics completed

2009/06/18 I-751 approved

2009/07/03 10-year GC received; last 0.5 done!

2009/07/23 Pras files N-400

2009/11/16 My 46TH birthday, Pras N-400 approved

2010/03/18 Pras' swear-in

---------------------------------------------------------------------

As long as the LORD's beside me, I don't care if this road ever ends.

slangofoil Collaborator

slangofoil   50

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Ireland
 Timeline
  • Author
Posted

I wonder if I'm imagining things. I moved to Arlington a week and a half ago from PG County, MD and people seem way nicer here. The staff in stores are nice and helpful in ways you'd never get where I used to live. Is it southern hospitality even this far north? I'm not used to this!

I'm the USC petitioner.

Timeline:

10/06/2005 Met in Ireland while I was on a study abroad

03/15/2010 K-1 NOA1

05/27/2010 K-1 NOA2

09/10/2010 K-1 Interview

09/22/2010 POE

10/01/2010 Wedding

10/27/2010 AOS/EAD/AP NOA1s

12/22/2010 EAD/AP Approved

04/05/2011 AOS Approved - no interview

04/09/2011 Green Card received

01/24/2013 ROC NOA1

06/28/2013 ROC Approved - no interview

07/05/2013 10-year Green Card received

08/19/2014 N-400 NOA

12/06/2014 N-400 Interview

01/09/2014 Naturalization ceremony

My husband is now a US Citizen! Our journey is over!

20r8m4.png

WdKPm5.png

8PEOm5.png

 

derekkj Proficient

derekkj   0

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Nope, not imagining it. Virginians are much nicer than Marylanders. :jest:

Arlington is great. Used to live in the Courthouse/Clarendon area before we moved to Alexandria. Which is also great.

I wonder if I'm imagining things. I moved to Arlington a week and a half ago from PG County, MD and people seem way nicer here. The staff in stores are nice and helpful in ways you'd never get where I used to live. Is it southern hospitality even this far north? I'm not used to this!

canadaC.gif - Derek usaCa.gif- KJ

TIMELINE

Civil Ceremony - 02/19/2005

I-130 Mailed Out - 02/25/2005

I-130 NOA1 - 03/04/2005

I-130 Approved - 04/07/2005

Pay I-864 - 05/13/2005

Return I-864 - 07/22/2005 *We mailed in the wrong birth certificate which led to a month or so delay*

Family Ceremony - 10/22/2005

Interview in Montreal - 12/22/2005

Activate Visa - 12/25/2005

Move to Virginia - 04/06/2006

Mailed I-751 - 11/02/2007

Received in Vermont - 11/05/2007

Check Cashed by VSC - 11/09/2007

Received NOA 1 - 11/10/2007

Biometrics - 01/10/2008

Card production ordered - 09/10/2008

Card received! - 09/17/2008

Now on to citizenship...

Saddle Bronc Grand Master

Saddle Bronc   124

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Timeline
Posted
Nope, not imagining it. Virginians are much nicer than Marylanders. :jest:

Arlington is great. Used to live in the Courthouse/Clarendon area before we moved to Alexandria. Which is also great.

:huh: store-staff in Catonsville (last-I-checked, it's in MD) seem to be quite helpful (of course, that may be "exception-to-rule"....).

2005/07/10 I-129F filed for Pras

2005/11/07 I-129F approved, forwarded to NVC--to Chennai Consulate 2005/11/14

2005/12/02 Packet-3 received from Chennai

2005/12/21 Visa Interview Date

2006/04/04 Pras' entry into US at DTW

2006/04/15 Church Wedding at Novi (Detroit suburb), MI

2006/05/01 AOS Packet (I-485/I-131/I-765) filed at Chicago

2006/08/23 AP and EAD approved. Two down, 1.5 to go

2006/10/13 Pras' I-485 interview--APPROVED!

2006/10/27 Pras' conditional GC arrives -- .5 to go (2 yrs to Conditions Removal)

2008/07/21 I-751 (conditions removal) filed

2008/08/22 I-751 biometrics completed

2009/06/18 I-751 approved

2009/07/03 10-year GC received; last 0.5 done!

2009/07/23 Pras files N-400

2009/11/16 My 46TH birthday, Pras N-400 approved

2010/03/18 Pras' swear-in

---------------------------------------------------------------------

As long as the LORD's beside me, I don't care if this road ever ends.

 
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